Yarn controller for creels and like apparatus



Nov. 12, 1935. E. R. swANsoN YARN CONTROLLER FOR CREELS AND LIKE APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 12, 1935. E. R SWANSON 2,021,032

YARN. CONTROLLER FOR CREELS AND LIKE APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1933 2 sheets-sheet 2 v A @www latented Nov. 12, 1935 l UNITED v's'rpzrlzs i PATENT. OFFICE 2,921,032 e YARN coN'moLLEn romeni-:ELS AND LIKE e APPARATUS. Y

Ernest B. Swanson, Cranston, R. I., assignor to Universal Winding Company, Boston, Mass., 'a corporation of Massachusetts s One object of the invention is to provide a del vice for controlling theindividual yarns delivering fromthe supply-packages to prevent them from kinking or becoming entangled when the la. ends become slack due to the-stopping of the .warper or other rewindin'g machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a yam-controller ofthe type indicated which is operated automaticallyupon cessation of. the draft on the yarn to positively grip or seize the latter to prevent it from sagging to entangle with other yarns ,or to loop and kink when the end becomes slack.

. Another object-of the invention `is to provide a device of the typeindicated which is controlled automatically by the draft on the yarn'without applying undue or excessive tension thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of lthe type indicated which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and proof-against derangement or getting out of order. e Further objects of the'improvement are set forth in the following specincation which vde-` scribes a preferred embodiment ofthe invention,

35, by way of example, as illustrated by the accom- Apanyingdravvings. In the-drawings:

Fig. l is a view in elevation of a section ofacreel' showing a plurality of the improved yarn- A controllers applied to use thereon for controlling the' multiple ends delivering from the supply.-

` packages mounted onthe creel frame;

- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the yarn-controller and its mounting; A Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the controller showf15 ing it as operative to grip the length of yarn pass-l .ing therethrough;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the same; y e Fig. 5 is a plan view of the controller and its mounting; .e Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3 showing a different setting of the controller elements;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional `vlew taken on line 1-1 ofFig. 3 and illustrating. the manner in which the. controller elements seize or bind the y Animation Apreii2s, 193s, serial No.'ces,425 I 11 claims.- (ci. 242-1) Fig. s is a. similar sectional view showing the o controller elements open under normal conditions during the.draft on the yarn.

.The present -improved yarn-controller com-l prises a movable element around or across which a lthe strand of yarn draws in feeding from the creel to the warper or-other winding machine and a lfixed element toward which the movable element is moved automatically upon' cessation of the draft on the yarn to seize-or bind the strand l0 between said elements to prevent its free length from sagging in a loop to entangle with other yarns deliveringk from the creel or yfrom snarling of yarn from one cone spliced to the leading end of a companion cone to provide for continuous delivery of the yarn therefrom. The creel frame 25-4 comprises two series of rods or uprights 2 and 3' mounted in feet I and 5 which rest on the floor. 'I'he rods or uprights, 3 of one set are arranged alternately .of the rods Z of the other. set and spaced at a' distance forwardly therefrom to adapt 30 them to mount the yarn-controllers, indicated generally by the reference character 6. The uprights 2 and 3 are connected at the top by horizontal rods 1 and -8,.respectively, and a strut or brace 9 extends downwardly therefrom with its 35 foot .i0 fastened to the oor. e

The creel frame usually comprises 'two opposite wings arranged at an angle to each other with the apex end facing the warper orv other winding machine to provide for delivering a large number 40 of ends from both sides of the creel; only one wing being herein shown.V The cones or supplypackages C are mounted on holders carried by arms or brackets ii which are swiveled to turn about the rearward uprights v2 of the frame. i5-

When the yarn' on the delivering cone'is exhaustedits holder may' be swung back to provide for doillngfthe empty tube or yarn-can'ier and recreeling a fresh supply which is magazined to the companion cone then delivering its yarn. 50,.,

Normally', the ho1dersfor. the two cones C of each pair are-turned to'aposition with their I. axes converging at a point in line with a single yarn-controller which serves this respective carry the cone-holders are held in operative position by means of ldatent-projections I2 engaging in notches I3 formed in collars I4 which are secured to the uprights 2 to locate the brackets in position thereon.

- 'Ihe thread or yam-controllers are mounted on supports or brackets I5 constructed in the form of clamps forA attachment to the forward vertical. rods` or uprights 3. As shown'most clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, each bracket I5 is provided with a forked or yoke-like portion I6 adapted to straddle the sides of the rod 3 and preferably having an arcuate portion I1 which extends partly around the rod. A set-screw I8 is threaded through the side of the yoke I6 with its end adapted to engage against the side of the rod 3 to secure the bracket xedly in place thereon.

'I'he mounting proper for the controller is in the form of a shelf or base-plate 20 provided with a stud 2l on its side inserted through a 4'bore in the main portion oi the bracket I5. A nut 22 on the end 'of the stud 2I serves to clamp the shelf,

opening 2S which is somewhat wider than the space between the vertical sides ofthe loop.

The movable element 30 oi the controller 6 may also be constructed from a length of wire formed into a helical coil 3l substantially midway of itsl ends with two angularly disposed arms 35 and 36 l extending therefrom. The coil 3I provides a journal or bearing for pivotally mounting the element 30 on the support or shelf 20. For this purpose the'support or shelf 2II is formed' at one side with a yoke 32 through the sides of which is driven a pin 33. Rotatably mounted on the pin 33 is a sleeve or bushing 34 to which the helical coil or bearing 3l of the element 30 is secured. 'I'he two arms 35 and 36 of the element 30 are disposed at substantially right-angles to each other, the arm 35 being adapted to assume a substantially vertical position in parallel relation to the sides of the lloop 26 of the xed element 25, while the arm 36 extends horizontally. Atthe upper end of the larm 35 the wire vis bent at right-angles in an elbow-like extension 31 adapted to slide freely through the enlarged opening 29 in the bight ofthe loop 26. The'elbow 31 terminates in an upwardly bent portion 33 adapted to make engagement with the top of the loop balance the upright arm 35 of the movable element 30.

The yam-controllers 6 are mounted on` the vertical rods 3 of the creel frame with their upper portions substantially in alinement with the points ofconvergence of the axes of the cones C,it being noted that the axes of the cones tilt f In some cases weights v may be added to the arm 36 to further counterdownwardly slightly from the horizontal. The v set-screws I3 on the clamping brackets I5 provide for adjusting the controllers 6 at the proper height on the creel frame; a single. controller vbeing provided for each pair of' magazined yarn- 5 the creel frame.

The construction and arrangement of the 4 yarn-controllers having now been described in detail'their method of operation will next be ex- ',plained. After the cones C have been placed on 15 their holders with the ends of their yarns magazined or tied together as indicated at e in Fig. 1, the yarn y leading from the first cone to be unwound is inserted between the arm 35 of the movable -controller element 30 andthe loop-portion 20 rewinding machine, being sometimes passed 30` through a comb or lease-reed extending across the back ofthe machine. The multiple ends of the yarn are attached to the beam, spool or like support on which they are to be wound by the warper or other machine and as the winding pro- 35 ceeds thestrands draw oi! over the ends'of the first series of cones C. After the material has been exhausted from the first cones, delivery is continued from the associated cones in the pairs while the operator recreels fresh supplies on the 40 t first set of holders and splices their ends to the last ends 'of the delivering cones.

In operation, as the yarn is taken up by the warper or other rewinding machine, each strand y delivering from its respective cone draws around 45 the vertical arm 35 of the movable controller element 30 which is thereby rocked back to a position away from said loop 26 of the fixed element 25 as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. That I is to say, as the yarn is drawn taut it will swing 50 the arm 35 away from the loop 26 of 'the iixed element 25 whereby to provide for a free passage of the yarn through the controller without the application of any appreciable tension thereto; the. only resistancel winch the yarn encounters 55 being t the slight friction of the strand on the arm 35.' As the strand y `feeds through the controller it is permitted to slide up, and down along the arm 35 in shifting from the upper to the lower side of the cone as it'unwinds therefrom. 60 The play of the yarn in this manner is restricted at the top by the elbow portion 31 of the arm 35 and at the bottom by the horizontal portion 21 of the iixed member 25; whereby to prevent the strand from whipping out of or otherwise es 65 caping. from the controller.

If it is desired to apply a slight amount of tension; to the yarn the whole controller may be tilted at an angle to the vertical, as shown in Fig. 6, by rotating the shelf or support 2B on 70 the axis oi' its stud 2i; the nut 22 being loosened to provide for this adjustment and then tightened after the proper setting has been secured. If a still greater degree'vof tension is desired for relatively coarse yarns. one or more weights may 75 away from the loop 26 `of the xed member 25.

In most cases, however, especially with fine yarns, it; isdesirable that the tension on the delivering yarn be reduced to.an absolute minimum, only sufllcientto prevent the strand from unwinding too freely from the cone.'

When .the warping or other rewinding operation is arrested, for example, uponbreakage of an end, the yarn-controller operates automatically in the manner as next explained to positively seize the strand to prevent it from sagging and looping to cause kinking or snarling. In drawing off over the end of the cone or other yarn package the 4yarn delivers very freely so thatl when the warper or other rewinding machine is stopped there is a tendency forthe ends to sag where they extend in long lengths across the front of the creel and between the creel and the Warper. The present improved yam-controller prevents such sagging of the yarn by seizing it at a joint adjacent the package to' hold it tautl in the length extending beyond this point.

Immediately the warper or other rewinding machine stops and the draft on the yarn is arrested, the counterbalanced controller element 1 will be caused to rock to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, ortoward the loop of the xed element 25 to seize the yarn by pinching it between the wires. As the arm of the-element 30 rocks into the position illustrated in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings the bight of yarn looped around the arm 35 of the element30 is pinched against the two sides of the loop 26 of the fixed element 25as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings and also .illustrated in the enlarged view, Fig.

Normally, when under the draft 'of therewinding process the yarn y pa sses freely throughthe controller without contar 5 withthe sides of the loop 26' of the fixed element 25, as indicated loop A26 of the element 25 is relatively light so that the yarn is not mashed or jammed. However, the pressure o f the arm 35 is suiiicient to cause the strand to take a tortuous course across the sides of the members 25 and 30 whereby to resist any tendency of the strand to draw through the controller to allow it to sag in the length extending therebeyond. In this manner the controllers act to maintain all of the yarns in taut condition,` it being understood that 'a multitude of -ends are usually delivered from a single creel and due to the compact grouping of the supplies the ends are liable to interfere one with another if allowed to sag or droop downward.

Heretofore in crels and similar apparatus of' the present type it has been considered necessary to employ tension-devices acting on the individual yarns vto maintain them taut when the .rewinding' process is arrested. Such tension-devices apply considerable resistance to the yarns during their delivery and the amount of tension is increased or augmented as the-lineal rate particularly with fine yarns, as in most cases the applied tension is excessive and tends to 3 cause breakage of the strands, besides hunting the speed at which the yarn can be wound in the warper. Moreover, with a large number of ends it is difficult to. regulate the applied tension ,uniformly and constantly, since resistance to 5 delivery'of the yarn varies with the size of the t' package from which it is unwinding andan increase i-n resistance at the supply causes the applied tension to be augmented.-

-so that there ls no possibility of the ends sagging.`

Immediately the warping or other-rewinding process is started the first pully on the yarns causes the movable elements 30 to be swung away from the `fixed elements 25 so that the strands 20 are released to feed freely again without danger of stretching or breaking the yarn. 4

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present improved device operates automatically without the use of connected elements such as 25 l rods, vslides, springs or the like to provide the motive force. The -movable controller element functions promptly and efficiently to seize the yarn upon cessation of the draft thereon; and likewise it is sensitive and rapid in action to re- 30 lease the yarn in response to the draft, whereby l to prevent stretching, straining or breaking the material. The device is extremely simple in construction, proof against derangement or getting out of order and its'parts are not subject to any 35 considerable wear or deterioration over long periods of use.

While the device is herein shown and described as embodied in a preferred form of construction, it is lto be understood that modifications 40 may be made in the structure and arrangement of its parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim: 1. A yam-controller for creeis andlike'appa- 45 ratus comprising a fixed element, a movable element mounted opposite' the fixed element and 'adapted to engage and contact the latter to positively grip a yarn therebetween, guiding means for controlling the direction of feed of a strand of yarn drawing through they device to cause it to make an' angular bend around the movable element to normally hold the latterA away from the fixed element, and means automatically operative when the draft on the yarn ceases to cause the movable element to move toward the fixed element to positively grip the yarn thereagainst.

2. .A yarn-controller for creeis and like apparatusV comprising a fixed element, a second element mounted to adapt it to move into contact-` ing engagement with the f'lxed element, means for guiding a strand as it is fed through the controller, saidy guiding means being laterally positioned on opposite sides of the movable ele- `ment and-spaced apart to cause the strand to 4the fixed element and out of contact therewith, y

and means operative when the feed of the strand is arrested -to move the movable element toward the fixed element to positively grip the yarn thereagainst.-

3. In a device of the type indicated, the com- I bination of a fixed element having spaced portions, an arm mounted for movement in a plane extending between the spaced portions of the fixed element and so constructed and arranged as to engage' the spaced portions of the fixed element throughout a considerable portion of their length, said arm adapted to be moved away from the fixed element by a yarn drawing thereacross toprevent the yarn from contacting the xed element whereby to reduce the tension on the yarn to a minimum, and means operative when the draft on the yarn ceases to carry the movable element toward the spaced portions of the fixed element to positively grip the yarn between said arm and fixed element.

4. In a device of the type indicated, the combination of a nxedelement having opposite par- 'allel portions, a movable element having an arm adapted to move into contact with the parallel portions of the xed element throughout a substantial portion of their length, means for guiding a strand to adapt it to draw across the movable element, said guiding means being so positioned as to direct the strand toward and away from the movable element in an angular course to hold said movable element away from the fixed element, and means operative upon cessation of tension on the strand to cause the movable element to move toward the `iixed element and positivelygrip the strand thereagainst lwhereby to prevent it.from sagging and kinking.

5. In a device of the type indicated, the combination of an element having opposite parallel legs disposed with a relatively narrow space therebetween, a single arm extending substan-- tially parallel with the legs of the xed element vand mounted to move toward and away therefrom in a plane extending between said parallel legs, said movable arm being of greater width than the space between the legs of the xed element to contact therewith throughout a considerable portion of their length but normally held away from the ixed element by the passage' of the yarn thereacross, and means operative when the draft on the yarn ceases to move the i movable arm toward the opposite parallel legs` of the xed element to' positively grip the yarn thereagainst.

6. In a device oi the type indicated,- the combination of a xed element formed with parallel sided portions, an element movable with respect to the xed element and having one arm extendin gin parallel' relation to the sides thereof and a second arm extending at right-angles thereto, said.l movable element being counterbalanced to swing towards the fixed element, and means for e limiting the swinging movement of the arm away trom said fixed element. ,u

7. In'a deviceof the type indicated, the combination of an element'having a close-sided loop extending in opposite parallel legs, a pivoted element having an armextending between the legs o: the nxed element and adapted to assume -al. yarn is relieved.

position in contact withthe sides `of its loop, means to limit the pivotal movement of said. arm away from s'aid loop under the action of a Vyarn drawing thereacross, and gravity-operated means for swinging said arm toward the loop to 5 bind the yarn thereagainst' upon cessation of the draft on the yarn.

8. In a device of the type indicated, the com- -bination of a support, an el'ement mounted on said support and formed with an upstanding loop 10 portion, an arm pivoted to said support and extending in opposite parallel relation to the sides of the loop of said element, means on said arm for engaging the loop to limit its swinging movement with respect thereto, and a counterweight 15 on said arm for normally maintaining it in position bearing against the sides of the loop.

9.. In a device of the type indicated, the combination of an element having a hairpin-shaped loop, and an arm pivoted -with respect to said ele- 20 ment to adapt it to swing into position to contact with the sides of the loop of the rst element, said arm` having a portion extending through the loop in the rst element and provided with means. at its end for engaging the loop to limit the 25 swinging movement of the arm..

l0. In a device of the type indicated, the combination of a mounting adapted for adjustment about a horizontal axis, a fixed element supported by said mounting and formed with spaced legs, 30 a second element pivoted to the mounting and provided with an arm extending in substantially parallel relation to the legs of the. xed element and movable in a plane extending between the legs, said arm being so constructed and arranged 35 t as to engage the legs throughout a considerable portion of their length but normally held out of engagement with the legs by a movingstrand `drawing across the arm, and means for counterbalancing said arm to cause it to swing toward 40 `the spaced legs of the xed ,element when the 'of lyarn 'comprising a support for a yarn supply and a yarn-guideso positioned as to cause the .yarn to be angularly bent across the arm to hold the latter away from the xed member, and a 55 second arm extending at an angle to the iirst arm y to adapt it to counterbalance the latterand to swing it` toward the opposite parallel xed portions oi' the fixed memberwhen thedraft on the 'l ERNEST R.

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